Illuminating devices for the phonograph



Aug. 16, 1960 CHUSAKU OGAWA ILLUMINATING DEVICES FOR THE PHONOGRAPHFiled May 20, 1957 s INVENTOR 12 %Maku (Gym MM V ATTORNEYS United StatesPatent G ILLUMINATING DEVICES FOR THE PHONOGRAPH Chusaku Ogawa, 30Takanawa-Minami-cho, Shiba, Mnato-ku, Tokyo, Japan Filed May 20, 1957,Ser. No. 0,292

Clains priority, application Japan May 19, 1956 1 claim. (CI. 240-212)This invention relates to improvements in phonographs or disk playingmachines, particularly to illuminating means therefor.

It is well known that present day phonograph records of the disk typemay have more than one song or music recorded thereon and such multiplerecordings are separated by a space comprising minute annular grooves.As it is difficult to place the pick up needle carrying arm of thephonograph in position in the minute grooves separnting the recordings,the present invention has for an object the use of artificialillumination to assist in the proper positioning of the needle arm.

Another object of this invention is to provide a phono graph provided-with a means for preventing a disk and/ or a needle from damagesbecause of improper positioning of the needle.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will appear fromthe following description and appended claim, when considered inconnection With the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure l is a plan view of a form of this invention;

Figure 2 is a sectional side View taken on the line 2-2 of Figure l;

Figure 3 shows an electric lamp specifically constructed;

Figure 4 is a sectional side View of another form of this invention;

Figure 5 is a sectional side view of still another form of thisinvention;

Figure 6 is a plan view of a part of the form shown in Figure S, takenon the line 6-6 of Figure 5.

Like numerals indicate like parts throughout the several views.

Referring now to Figures 1 and 2, a pickup head 12 is fixed on a pickuparm 14 which is pivoted at 16 on the casing of the phonograph. A needle18 is carried by the pickup head 12 as usual. A socket 20 is fixed Withits open end facing downwardly, on the free outside end wall of thepickup arm 14. A base 26 of a specified electric lamp 24 is in thesocket 2%. The lamp 24 comprises an envelope consisting of a tip portion23 so shaped as to form a convex lens and the lamp is covered by anopaque film or a black coating 30 except for the tip portion 28, asshown in Figure 3. The lamp 24 is so arranged as to focus a 'beam oflight on a space along a turn of the groove 32 and on an area of thedisk 34 to be played when the needle 18 is put down in the turn of thegroove of the disk 34. In order to indicate the location of the needle'18 indirectly by the illuminated spot wherever the pickup arm 14swings, the lamp 24 is also so arranged that the lamp 24 and needle 18are substantially at the same distances from the center 36 of the disk34.

The electric lamp may be arranged inside the pick-up arm 14 as shown inFiguIes 4 and 5.

According to the form shown in Figure 4, the socket 20 is arranged asinclining downwards inside the top wall of the pickup arm 14 near thefree end thereof. The specified lamp 24 whose structure is describedhereinbefore is adapted to the socket 20 so as to -focus the beamroughly roundly on a turn of the groove of the disk 34 and theproxirnity thereof, as shown in Figure 4. The turn is the one in whichthe needle is to be put.

Similarly, a usual electric lamp 22 may be used when an interceptngscreen 38 is provided. The interceptng screen 38 s extended `forwardsfrom the pickup head 12, in which an arched perforation 40 is -formed,the curvature thereof corresponding roughly to that of the turns of thegroove 32 of the disk 34, as shown in Figure 6, so as to illuminate thedisk along the required turns of the groove 32, as shown in Figure 5.

Throughout these embodiments, a usual electric lamp having an opaquecover may be used, the cover having an arched perforation at the tipportion, curvature of the arch corresponding to the curvature of theturns of the groove of the disk, in which the needle is to be put.

In order to meet variation in kinds of disks, the location, direction,and inclination of the lamps 22 and 24, the reflectors 42 and 48, andthe intercepting screen 38 may, if desired be made adjustable.

While there is herein shown and described several forms of the presentinvention, I do not wish to be limited to the forms herein particularlyshown and specifically described, but rather intend that the inventionshall include all reasonable equivalents thereof which will occu-r tothose skilled in the art from the present disclosure.

I claim:

In combination with a phonograph including =a pick up arm having a pickup head carrying a needle to play a grooved disk, an illuminating devicecomprisng -a down wardly projecting electric lamp mounted adjacent thefree end of said pick up arm and directed toward said disk at a pointdirectly in front of said needle, said lamp having an opaque coveringprovided with an opening at the tip of the lamp, the tip of said lamp`being shaped to form -a convex magnifying lens at the tip` thereofprojecting through said opening, Whereby a light beam of said lamp isfocused on an area of said disk directly in front of said needle and onthe groove o'f said disk in which said needle is to be positioned, saidarea and said needle being equidi tant from the center of said disk.

References cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,249,288 Bernecker Dec. 4, 1917 l,261,667 Winter Apr. 2, 1918 2,309,060Glaser Jan. 19, 1943 2,582,948 Cairnes Jan. 22, 1952 2,844,710 ZinnsserJuly 22, 1958 FOREIGN PATENTS 269,()29 Great Britain Apr. 14, 1927625,688 Germany Feb. 13, 1936 OTHER REFERENCES Ser. No. 285,165,Marzetti (A.P.C.), published May

